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IDEA 2004

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) is our nation's special education law. Below you'll find important information about IDEA 2004, which went into effect on July 1, 2005.

IDEA was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to make sure that children with disabilities had the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education, just like other children. The law has been revised many times over the years. The most recent amendments were passed by Congress in December 2004. The new law, which goes into effect on July 1, 2005, guides how states and school districts provide special education and related services to more than six million eligible children with disabilities.

There are no regulations yet on how IDEA 2004 will be implemented. These regulations are expected in the fall. In the meantime, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and more than 55 national organizations, as well as technical assistance providers, and state and local organizations and agencies, have collaborated to create IDEA Partnership, a web site that provides the latest information and resources on IDEA 2004.

Recommended articles

• Training on the Reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Significant Judicial Decisions

  The California Department of Education sponsored an IDEA training in April 2005 conducted by Art Cernosia, Esq., a noted expert in federal special education laws and regulations. The training outline and PowerPoint presentation are available from the department's web site.

• IDEA and Literacy Instruction

  The Access Center offered a webinar in June 2005 featuring Dr. Catherine Christo, a professor in school psychology at California State University, Sacramento. You can watch and listen to the recorded event and also download the PowerPoint presentation.

• What Constitutes a Highly Qualified Special Education Teacher Under The Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (50K PDF)*

  The National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) and the National Education Association (NEA) created a flow chart that describes the highly qualified teacher provisions in the new Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act.

• IDEA: Guide to Frequently Asked Questions (200K PDF)*

  The House Education and the Workforce Committee majority staff released a new guide to frequently asked questions regarding the major education reform initiatives in IDEA.

• CEC's New and Improved Side-by-Side Analyses of Selected Issues from the Proposed IDEA Regs

  The Council on Exceptional Children created a side-by-side analysis of the law's provisions compared to the previous law.

Recommended links

• IDEA Partnership
• National Association of State Directors of Special Education
• National Association of School Psychologists: IDEA 2004
• Wrightslaw: IDEA 2004
• National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

* To view this file, you'll need a copy of Acrobat Reader. Most computers already have it installed, or you can download it now.

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